Wikipedia claims that "Published studies indicate that "within the context of adequate palliative care, the refusal of food and fluids does not contribute to suffering among the terminally ill", and might actually contribute to a comfortable passage from life"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_illn...n_and_hydration

In fact, dehydration is a very cruel, agonizing, inhumane way to murder someone. According to Dr. David Stevens, who unlike some alleged "experts" has actually seen people die this way:
"Is dying of thirst and dehydration a painless death as some experts have asserted? Most so-called experts have never seen someone die in this manner. Unfortunately, having worked for 13 years in Africa, where the most common cause of death in children is dehydration from gastroenteritis, I have seen hundreds if not thousands of patients with dehydration and some of them so far gone, that despite resuscitation attempts, they died.

As dehydration begins, there is extreme thirst, dry mouth and thick saliva," Dr. Stevens explained. "The patient becomes dizzy, faint and unable to stand or sit; has severe cramping in the arms and legs as the sodium and potassium concentrations in the body go up as fluids go down. In misery, the patient tries to cry but there are no tears. The patient experiences severe abdominal cramps, nausea and dry-heaving as the stomach and intestines dry out.

By now the skin and lips are cracking and the tongue is swollen," Dr. Stevens continued. "The nose may bleed as the mucous membranes dry out and break down. The skin loses elasticity, thins and wrinkles. The hands and feet become cold as the remaining fluids in the circulatory system are shunted to the vital organs in an attempt to stay alive. The person stops urinating and has severe headaches as their brain shrinks from lack of fluids. The patient becomes anxious and gets progressively more lethargic.

Some patients have hallucinations and seizures as their body chemistry becomes even more imbalanced. This proceeds to coma before death occurs. The final event as the blood pressure becomes almost undetectable is a major heart arrhythmia that stops the heart from pumping.

Contrary to those that try to paint a picture of a gentle process, death by dehydration is a cruel, inhumane and often agonizing death."
http://www.life.org.nz/euthanasia/abouteut...of-euthanasia1/

Starvation is also a very painful way to go.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/archive/l...05/aug/05081606

A man named Burke sought guarantee from the United Kingdom courts that he would not be murdered in this fashion, but was denied by a cruel, inhumane judge:
http://www.bcptl.org/euthanasia.htm#Burke2

In fact, "involuntary euthanasia" (READ: MURDER) is surprisingly common. In Holland, one in five cases of "euthanasia" occur without the explicit consent of the patient, and it is not unheard of in other countries, like the United Kingdom and Canada.
http://www.euthanasia.com/holland99.html
http://elderadvocates.ca/exploring-physici...sisted-suicide/

In one case in Canada, a court held that any Substitute Decision Maker who refused to consent to this cruel method of MURDER was incompetent to make decisions for the patient, who was a pastor.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2574608/posts